Luke 2:29

Ver. 29-32. The song consists of an eulogium of Christ, whom Simeon here calls:

1. The Lord's salvation; 2. A light to lighten the Gentiles; 3. The glory of Israel; and a petition, that now the Lord would let him depart in peace. But I shall take the words in order. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. He desireth to die, having now lived to see what alone he desired life for. It is a speech much like Jacob s, Genesis 46:30, when he had seen Joseph, whom he thought lost, but spoken here upon a much more weighty consideration. The word translated depart, signifies to absolve, and forgive, Luke 6:37; to dismiss, and to deliver as from bondage and misery. It is used to express the death of good men, by the Septuagint, Genesis 15:15 Numbers 20:29; and the noun from it is used so by the apostle, 2 Peter 1:15. Simeon owns God to be the Lord of his life, who had the power of it, and could alone dismiss him; and signifieth himself to be an old man, satisfied with days, willing to be at rest from the miseries of this life; but he begs to be dismissed, and to die in peace, that is, happily: see Genesis 15:15 2 Kings 22:20 Psalms 4:8. According to thy word, that is, thy promise, mentioned Luke 2:26. But the putting of these words in before those words in peace, seems to import that he could not die in peace before he had seen God's word fulfilled to him, in which he had made him to hope. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, that is, thy Christ, according to the revelation I had from thee. Simeon had a special revelation of a corporeal sight of Christ; he could not die happily till he had had that. None of us can die in peace, till we have seen the Lord's salvation with a spiritual eye, and made application of the promises of the gospel, in the more general revelation of his word. Thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; that is, the author of salvation, for there is no salvation in any other, Acts 4:12. Simeon declares that this salvation was prepared for all people. Isaiah 11:10, he was prophesied of as an ensign for the people, to it shall the Gentiles seek. So Isaiah 52:10, The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. So Psalms 98:2. Simeon speaks the same thing more particularly, Luke 2:32, A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. All the people mentioned Luke 2:32 were either Gentiles or Jews. Simeon here prophesieth, that Christ should lighten the Gentiles. The state of the Gentiles (by whom were understood all the people in the world except the Jews) is often in Scripture expressed under the notion of darkness, both in respect of the ignorance of the true God which was amongst them, and of their idolatry and superstition, and their lewd and wicked lives, much proportioned to their religion. Hence Paul is said to be sent to the Gentiles, to turn them from darkness to light, Acts 26:18. Christ is called light; 1 Thessalonians 8:12, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. So 1 Thessalonians 9:5. Conformable to the old prophecies: Isaiah 60:1, Arise, shine, for thy light is come. Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light. And speaking of Christ, Isaiah 49:6, I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. So Isaiah 42:6, And give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. See Psalms 98:3 Acts 13:47. And the glory of thy people Israel. All the earth is the Lord s, but Israel is called his son, his first born, Exodus 4:22. Christ was the minister of the circumcision, Romans 15:8. To them it was that he was promised, of them it was that he was born, Romans 9:5. Amongst them it was that he preached and wrought miracles: He came unto his own, 1 Thessalonians 1:11. It was said of old, I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory, Isaiah 46:13. Christ is the glory of any people; the preaching of Christ, the owning and professing of Christ, a living up to his rules, this is a people's glory. And as some do this more and better than others, so in God's account they differ from others in what is true glory.